Chapter 36
"Clear the Deck!" The Lieutenant commanded. The OSS LeHew was still in dry-dock, but the cannon trial could still be completed. The gun crew consisted of Petty Officer Vinnie, Seaman Garfield, a skinny Asian Seaman named Giang, and Seaman Brice, a petite woman.
Most of the crew had evacuated the LeHew as a precaution. But they still wanted to watch the event.
The Captain had a small lifeboat taken out about 300 yards and told the gun crew, "I dare you to hit it."
Ayanna sighed, waiting for the important event to unfold one way or the other. "All right, Vinnie, take it from the top. Fire."
Brice put a charge of powder into the end of the muzzle loading cannon. Giang pushed the "charge", which is a cloth baggie of gunpowder down into the breach. Garfield's upper body flexed as he picked up the steel cannonball and set it into the muzzle. Brice opened the air vent on the breach of the cannon and inserted a fuse until it touched the charge. Vinnie lit it.
"Everyone back!" Vinnie warned.
Everyone on the deck, including Captain Bernard and Lt. Kirkendahl ran back as far as they could and still see the cannon and the target.
They waited. About a minute went by.
Vinnie said, "This is taking a good bit longer than I thought."
"Yea," Ayanna said. "But it has to. . ." BLAM! The whole ship shook from the blast.
"Whoa!" Brice said.
Garfield said, "That was awesome! Did you see that?!"
Ayanna said, "Yea. We missed by. . .a lot. Let's go through this again, Vinnie."
"Aye Ensign."
The crew returned to the cannon.
Ayanna said, "Lower the barrel 10 degrees, go right 5 degrees."
Garfield made the adjustments. Brice was in the process of putting the next charge into the cannon.
"Stop!" Ayanna said. The crew looked at Ayanna.
"Vinnie! Close the vent to suffocate any sparks in the cannon. Giang, use that sponge. This must be done every time, even in a battle."
"Aye, Ensign"
The sponge was on a long stick. It was kept damp and used to snuff out any sparks left after firing the cannon so when the next charge of powder was put into the muzzle it didn't explode too soon.
After Giang sponged the barrel, Brice put in the charge.
"Were going to do this the fast way this time," Ayanna said. "Giang, use that ramrod and punch a hole in that charge so it ignites faster."
Giang made sure the charge was punched. Then Garfield put in the cannonball.
Ayanna said, "Brice, instead of inserting a fuse, just put a bit of powder on the vent, the Vinnie touch it with the candle."
The instant Vinnie touched the candle to the vent the cannon fired. This time the entire crew was standing next to the gun when it fired.
"Cool!" Garfield said, "This is so awesome!"
The ball sent up a spout of water up quite a distance away from the lifeboat. Ayanna was at a loss. There was no way to do a bunch of calculating in a battle. By the time the cannon gets fired, the target, or they would move. This situation was an embarrassment. Why was she even doing this? There were a lot of other things she would be better at.
Brice immediately shut the vent.
"Good work, Brice," Ayanna said. "Hey Garfield."
"Aye."
"Aim the cannon."
"Um. . ." Garfield was taken aback.
"Garfield. Aim it," Ensign Crawford repeated.
"Aye!" Without looking at the markers, Garfield stared at the lifeboat and made some adjustments.
Vinnie barked, "Come on crew! Quickly, do not miss a step!
The crew went through the steps three times as fast and the cannon was lit. It fired. The LeHew heaved again when the cannon fired. A spout of water went up about ten or fifteen yards in front of the lifeboat.
"Woooooooo! Yes!" Garfield pumped his fist.
Giang waved the ramrod in a victory dance. Brice was jumping up and down clapping.
Ayanna's head throbbed from the blasting. It was not her passion.
Captain Bernard said, "That's enough. Save the ammunition. I don't want my lifeboat ruined. Good work everyone."
The Captain and the Lieutenant left the fore deck.
"Awww!" Garfield said. "Man, I love this! I wanted to do some more!"
Ayanna was still concerned about safety. "We are going to do a dry run on this one hundred times. No powder or ball. If anyone messes up with the vent or the sponge, we start all over. Is that clear?"
The crew said "Aye" in unison.
Ensign Crawford said, "I'll keep track of how many times you do it. Vinnie, take charge."
"Aye, Ensign."